William C. Stebbins entered the system in 1903 as a high school science teacher and became principal and then superintendent, serving from 1919 until his sudden death in 1929. He must have been exasperated in his science classes sometimes. It is reported that he once said to the girls, "I'm glad that your heads are not on my shoulders!" But he was a well loved figure, according to most accounts, who encouraged high standards in both scholarship and athletics.